State funding cuts and a steep drop in sales tax revenues have forced Omnitrans to propose a series of service reductions throughout San Bernardino County.

The changes, scheduled to take effect in September, include reduced schedules on 28 routes. Weekend service also would be eliminated on two routes and minor realignments made to multiple routes.

The proposal is part of the annual budget and service plan for 2010-11 expected to be approved at the Omnitrans board of directors meeting on June 2.

“This is really going to prevent me from getting from one place to the next,” said George Villa of Fontana.

Villa takes three to five buses from his home each day to get to work. On one of those lines, Route 80, the schedule frequency would be cut from every 30 minutes to every hour Monday through Friday.

“It’s going to cause a real issue when I’m trying to get from one bus to the next,” he said.

Omnitrans officials say the changes are designed to disrupt the fewest numbers of passengers as possible.

“We’ve gone through our ridership data with a fine-tooth comb to identify those least-used portions of service and made our cuts there versus eliminating an entire route because it’s a low ridership route,” said Wendy Williams, Omnitrans director of marketing.

Omnitrans, which provides bus service for much of San Bernardino County, is implementing other cost-cutting measures to close a projected $8.7 million shortfall for 2010-11.

Most of the budget gap – $7.1 million – will be addressed through internal cost controls such as scaling back programs in every department, staff reductions, reallocating funds and tapping emergency reserves.

The changes affecting riders equate to a 3.3 percent reduction in service, a savings of $1.6 million.

More than half of Omnitrans’ operating budget comes from local sales tax funding, which is down 29 percent compared to 2008, Williams said.

State transportation funding also has been slashed. High unemployment and declining consumer income have resulted in fewer commuter transit trips. Fuel and insurance prices are also expected to increase, officials say.

Some riders, however, say they don’t believe the agency is in such dire straits.

“That’s ridiculous,” said Marvin Lewis, 39, of San Bernardino.

He noted that the agency implemented a fare hike in September to raise revenue.

“To ride the bus is $1.50 one way and $4 for a day pass,” said Lewis, who takes the bus to adult school classes on weekdays. “They’re not hurting; they’re hurting me.”

Williams said the agency has used wage and hiring freezes, furloughs and other cost controls to try to stave off impacts to service.

“But now we have no choice,” she said.

If the proposals become a reality, riders should be prepared to adjust their wait time. In the West Valley, buses will increase the frequency time from 30 minutes to 60 minutes at Routes 63, 80, 83, 65 and in the Chino Hills Circulator.

In the East Valley, the reduced frequency will affect Routes 5, 10 11, 15, 20 and 215.

The proposed reductions can vary on the days of the week and weekends, Williams said.

Elimination of weekend service is also being proposed in the West Valley on Route 67, which runs from Montclair to Fontana, and Route 81, which runs from the Ontario Mills mall to Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga.

The routes run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Riders waiting to board buses in front of the Carousel Mall last week voiced displeasure with the changes.

“It’s not a good thing at all,” said Christina Martinez, a 36-year-old San Bernardino resident who rides the bus daily to work.

Martinez said she takes two buses from her home on Gilbert Street to her job at a laundry-cleaning business on Orange Show Road. On one of those lines, Route 5, the frequency would be cut from every 30 minutes to every hour on Saturdays.

“It’s going to make it real difficult for me,” Martinez said.

Changes are also planned to Omnilink, a reservation system providing curb-to-curb service in Yucaipa and Chino Hills. Omnilink minibuses do not go on a regular route, but respond to customers’ telephone requests for service.

In Yucaipa and Chino Hills, Omnitrans is proposing a combination reservation service with local circulator routes that run on a regular schedule.

In Grand Terrace, Omnitrans also plans to start offering a new service to help offset the planned elimination of Route 25, operated by Riverside Transit Agency.

Oscar Sanchez, a 23-year-old San Bernardino resident who lives near Sepulveda Avenue and 52nd Street, said he takes four buses at various times to visit family members and take classes at San Bernardino Adult School. He is especially concerned about plans to shorten Route 7 to eliminate the Sierra Way, 46th Street and Sepulveda Avenue loop.

“If they take that one out, that’s going to be a bummer,” Sanchez said. “I’m going to have to walk to come downtown.”

Isabel Armta of Ontario said the changes will really inconvenience her.

“I have someone who can only drop me off at the stop at certain times because I don’t drive,” said the Ontario resident. “Waiting for a bus every hour is too much time for a person to wait.”

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